Extended Expectations
by arushofbloodtothehead
Summary: Damon at first assumes that dating Caroline would serve its purpose as getting him closer to Elena. But soon he finds his interests have shifted just as Caroline realizes that something is not right with their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

"Why didn't he go for me? How come the guys that I want never want me? I'm inappropriate, always say the wrong thing.. and Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try, and he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks. For everything. And I try so hard and I'm never the one." Caroline mused to herself, placing her fist underneath her chin. Bonnie sat opposite from her, attempting to be patient with her. She offered a small smile. "It's not a competition, Caroline." Caroline's tired eyes rose from the streaked tables of The Grill and met with Bonnie's. She would never understand. "Yeah, it is."

Bonnie seemed taken aback, and unsure of how to respond to Caroline's exposed feelings. Perhaps it was an effect of the alcohol, she decided to herself, because she had never heard Caroline speak about Elena like that before. As she picked up the bill and walked over to the front of the bar to pay it, a man's figure appeared behind her. Caroline's eyes flickered across the empty coffee mug and exhaled softly. Perhaps sleep was all she needed. She raised her head to join Bonnie at the front when her eyes met with his. He wore a soft but knowing smile, a coy expression that intrigued her. And ultimately made her feel desired. She smiled back, her expression lightening at the man's attention.

At this point, Bonnie was far from her mind. Her attention stay glued to him as he nodded towards the opposite side of his table, his long leg pushing the chair out. She smiled once more, but was careful. She still wasn't very sober.. She hesitated for a moment, then decided that she would just be quick. Introduce herself, leave a lasting impression and make him want more. The plan was formed and set in place as she rose from her seat and walked over to join him. She took her seat across from him, and reassumed her position of placing her fist underneath her chin as her eyes were finally allowed to take in the man fully. Jet black hair framing crystalline blue eyes. HIs smile grew, and his brow kinked up as if he hadn't been expecting her to come over. "You should know I don't do this very often," She chuckled underneath her breath. "Especially not when I'm not completely myself."

He shrugged a shoulder lightly, but he was very much aware of her being under the influence. "I don't mind. I'm Damon." Caroline was glad to finally have a name to his face, but she suspected she wouldn't remember it tomorrow. She glanced over her shoulder to see Bonnie waiting for her expectantly. She turned around without hesitance. "Caroline. It's nice to meet you." For the first time in minutes, Damon's eyes were centered on Bonnie, and despite that Caroline assumed the glare was for her, Damon knew it was for him. "Don't mind her," She waved her hand, brushing her curls back away from her eyes. "I just have to go soon." Damon nodded, pursing his lips for a moment. That was a shame. She was a pretty little thing, even if her purpose would be soon worn out. "I think we'll be seeing each other again soon." Caroline smiled at this and rose from her seat as she bid him goodbye and picked up her bag left on the table. She walked to the far end of The Grill where Bonnie was standing, her shoulders going up in nonchalance. "What?"

"Who is he?" She murmured in a hushed whisper. Caroline waved the question away as she glanced over her shoulder and offered him a sly smile. He leaned back against his chair, his eyes intent on Bonnie, who stared at him with a disgusting look. He pretended to pay no attention and tossed out a few bills onto the counter. He stood from his seat and headed towards the exit, brushing by Bonnie with an insincere apology. Her body shook with cold, and darkness clouded her vision like smoke. Damon raised a brow as he continued on his way and disappeared from the restaurant. Cold and smooth. Like feathers. Black feathers. She frowned, disturbed by the sudden images which rushed to her mind and desperately pushed them to the back of her mind. Caroline was waiting for her.


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline's heels clicked slowly as she turned her head from one direction to the other. Her blonde curls shuffled against hunched shoulders, searching for warmth from Bonnie's car. She spotted the silver glint of a rounded roof and walked towards it, hoping she had left it unlocked. She neared the passenger side and glanced over her shoulder as the door popped open. Bonnie wasn't behind her anymore. She shrugged it off and assumed that she had stopped to talk to somebody. As she turned around to enter the car, Damon appeared in front of her.

She jolted backwards, her breath filling her lungs sharply. She hadn't expected that. How drunk was she? As she regained herself, pressing a hand to her forehead gently, she looked up at Damon's amused smile. "I'm sorry, my mind is so gone." She chuckled quietly, her fingers slipping down to touch one of her gold ringlets. "But I was hoping I'd see you again."

Damon nodded once, eyes closing for a moment as he did so. He reacted as if he were expecting this, like a line recited from a script. "I know. I'm sorry if I frightened you, I just wanted to see to it that you reached your car." Caroline smiled slightly at the consideration in his words. But his expression stayed rather nonchalant, except for a smirk that lingered on his lips which made her heart flutter. "Oh, you didn't have to do that, Bonnie was right behind-" She turned her head once more to ensure her friend was on her way, but like before, she found the exit way empty. She frowned in confusion. "I think she had a problem with her bill." Damon clarified, a brow kinking up as he recalled his swift actions to compel the waitress that handled her bill. He had to make sure he could get Caroline alone long enough. Bonnie certainly would not approve, hence her 'coincidentally inconvenient' absensce.

"Oh." Caroline mumbled, wishing she hadn't left so suddenly. As she began to walk forward to rejoin her friend, Damon's hand caught hers delicately. "How about I drive you home tonight, Caroline? I'm sure Bonnie won't mind." Caroline looked down at his grasp on her wrist, so confident yet gentle. It was almost too good to be true. Hadn't she been saying just a few minutes ago about how no one ever picked her? Well, Damon clearly did. Besides, she didn't feel like waiting and her lack of sobriety made her drowsy. Would it really be so bad if Damon drove her home? She looked up at his eyes, as bright as the moon that reflected upon them. There was something exciting about him. Like he had a secret and an adventure just waiting for her. Maybe he was just the wake-up call she needed.

He stood patiently, though only a few seconds passed. Caroline's thoughts had swarmed her mind in a matter of fractioned seconds, and she soon found herself nodding, a smile appearing on glossy lips. "I'd love that. Thank you, Damon."

Damon offered a smile of his own, one she had never seen before on a man. Wicked. "Don't mention it." Damon offered her his hand, and she eagerly took it as she followed him to the blue convertible that he drove. She gasped in awe as she slid inside, feeling the soft leather seats conform to her shape. Damon chuckled at her excitement and joined her inside. Soon Damon and Caroline sped off, tailights illuminating their rear, just as Bonnie stepped outside, a crumbled receipt in hand. "Caroline!"


	3. Chapter 3

Her name rang through her ear's as the car drove through the snaking road between groups of trees. She turned her head but it was too late. The car was already around a bend, and soon the sight of the Grill was divided by thick tree trunks. She turned back with a small huff, wondering if she had made the right decision. Bonnie seemed very worried, and in her defense, she knew why. Bonnie didn't seem happy when she saw Damon. Perhaps it was because she was only worried about her well-being. She had only just spilled her guts about Elena, after all. Caroline decided not to think about it anymore as she slid back against the soft leather seats, her eyes slipping over the sleek, black interior. Damon's hand was laid back and confident against the steering wheel he was grasping, making every turn smoothly. She watched as the Grill disappeared completely in the side-view mirror.

"So, that was.. Bonnie?" Damon inquired, his voice like velvet in the midst of the blowing wind from the lowered top. Caroline turned her head towards him, admiring his profile before replying. "Yes. She's one of my best friends." Along with Elena, she thought sadly. And she had just openly revealed how jealous she was of her.. She could only hope that Damon hadn't heard any of it.

"Is she from one of the founding families?" Caroline raised a brow at his questioning, wondering how he even knew about that circle. Had he lived here the entire time or was he new to the town? But she was sure he wasn't a resident, he couldn't be. She would have remembered a face and body like that a long time ago. "I don't know." She replied, shrugging a shoulder. "Her last name is Bennett. My family is, though." Caroline nodded, smiling slightly at her place of importance in the tiny town. Because of it, she was meant to enter the Miss Mystic competition happening later in the year. Perhaps Elena wouldn't compete after all.

Damon's eyes slitted slightly as he thought about the last name given. Soon, a face was placed to the name. A small woman, with dark skin and darker eyes. She held a calm smile which always seemed to be masking her real expressions. She was Katherine's right hand maid. And one of the most powerful witches of her time. He swore underneath his breath, wondering if Bonnie was going to get in the way of his plan. He needed Caroline to get in good with Elena first, and she definitely wasn't going to go near him if Bonnie scared her with tales of things that go bump in the night.

He couldn't be sure if the little Witch had her powers yet, though, he reasoned. Perhaps she could be no threat at all. In which case, it was all downhill from here. In fact, it would be so easy, he could revel in his plan a little bit longer. His eyes casted downwards as Caroline slid down in her seat, slouching with her elegant legs crossed. He smiled to himself as the car entered the main town square. "Just to the right there." Caroline sat up as she pointed down a darkened street lined with large houses. Damon nodded in response and turned the wheel into Caroline's driveway. "Thank you." She turned to him with a smile. "Ah, the chilvary isn't over yet," He kinked a brow as he returned the smile. "Let me walk you up." Caroline hadn't been expecting that, actually. Maybe he wanted to make sure she wouldn't drop dead on her front porch. She popped the door open and walked up the front porch, fishing for her keys in her purse. "I should call Bonnie.." She murmured to herself. The door gave way and opened up to reveal the foyer, leading out to different rooms. She stepped up onto the threshold, unsure of her next actions. He seemed to be waiting for something. "Oh, would you like to come-"

"Caroline?" A voice sounded from behind one of the walls, one of authority. Sure enough, a woman appeared wearing an official Mystic Falls police uniform. Damon exhaled somewhat impatiently. He was so close.

He placed his best smile on his lips as the woman neared the threshold. The name Lizzie Forbes glinted off of her nametag. He would have to remember that. "Thank you for driving my daughter home, Mr.." She trailed off, giving an inquisitive stare at the unfamiliar man on her doorstep. "Salvatore." Damon finished.

Caroline gave a quiet gasp. "As in Stefan Salvatore?"

Damon's smile took on a sly apperance. "The one and the same."

The plan had been going slower than expected, but perhaps it wouldn't alter the course completely. Meeting Caroline and her mother first were the perfect connections to have when he revealed his presence to his brother after over two decades. Stefan could do nothing about him. Not threaten him, kick him out nor run him out. HIs compulsion was weak. It was perfect. Should something happen to him, all questions would turn to Stefan.

As for Elena, the gorgeous brown-haired beauty that he had become well aware of long before Stefan, she was going to be reached through Caroline. He hadn't counted on Bonnie being a part of the trio, but she was only a bump in the road. As long as she kept her mouth shut..

Damon strode in Stefan's room after making his entrance through the open window, examining his things with an amused look. He passed by his bookshelves, rolling his eyes at his countless collections of journals through the years, and flipped through several of them. "Guess '76 wasn't your best year, huh, Stefan?" He murmured to himself as he tossed the Yale encrested notebook aside.

He passed by the desk which stood parallel with the bed and took a seat in the leather chair. His desk seemed oddly empty, save for a few sheets and a brown leather-bound book sitting spine facing upwards. An ink pen laid beside it, its triangle tip dripping with ink. It was fresh, he smiled to himself. He placed his shoes up onto the glass desk, picked up the book and began to read its latest entry.

_September 26th_

_At first glance, the resemblance is uncanny. But if you take a closer look, one would swear that they are two different people. Katherine's brown eyes were as cold as earth on a winter's morning. Elena's are sweet and warm, full fo the light which she expends. Katherine's smile was ironic and double edged. Elena's is sincere and as contagious as the common cold. She seems to see life as a gift, not a game. _

_But it goes much deeper than that. Elena is innocent in her actions but smart in her ways. She holds a place in her heart for everybody she meets, which seems to have no limits. But this information that I have gathered is useless. I have to know her._

_She is not Katherine. And for that I am grateful._

Footsteps interrupted his reading as they made their way up the winding stairs and towards the room in which Damon was comfortably sitting in. Five, four, three.. Damon counted down on his fingers the last of the remaining steps. Two, one, and.. Stefan appeared in the doorway. He was taken aback by the dark figure sitting in his chair, his journal placed openly on his lap. Damon placed his thumb underneath his jawline and his index finger on his temple as he smiled, enjoying the look of surprise and disgust on his face.

"Damon."

"Hello, brother."

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Damon chuckled as his legs dropped from the desk. "No use in trying your tough guy stance on me. I know better." He held up the journal between his fingers as he walked past Stefan, flipping through to an earlier entry.

"I think I should buy you a dictionary, though. I believe vexatious is spelled with a T, not a C." He smirked, a brow kinking upwards. "But then again, grammar was never your strong suit in school, was it, little brother?"

"What do you want?" Stefan's voice had cut the last part of Damon's sentence off, and refused to listen to anymore comments.

"Nothing." Damon replied innocently.

"It's been twenty years, Damon. I don't expect this meeting to have anything to do with brotherly love. I don't owe you anything."

"Actually," Damon held up a finger as he closed the journal between his fingers, his eyes glancing off for a moment. "You did borrow a shirt of mine I liked. But I imagine the arm sleeves are all stretched out now, thanks to those tree trunks of yours."

Stefan couldn't help but chuckle at Damon's attempt at a joke. He wasn't falling for it this time. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Elena, would it?"

Damon smiled with confidence, because his answer was actually partially true. "No." Not at the moment was what he meant to say. "I've got my own cheerleader now. You might know her, actually. Blonde, perky.. She has these legs that seem to go on for miles.."

"Damon, stop. Don't you dare do anything to Caroline, that's Elena's best friend."

Damon's eyes flickered wickedly. Exactly. "I know that."


	4. Chapter 4

"Is it just me or does Bonnie not approve of anybody?" Caroline muttered with a frown as she pushed on her knee. Her legs were spread apart on the summer grass, her hair tied up in a loose bun as she stretched out the kinks in her muscles. Elena was doing similarly, placing her hands on her hips and attempting to bend as close to a ninety degree angle as possible. Caroline sprang up on her feet and joined her in this exercise. "She just doesn't know Stefan," Elena reasoned, shrugging a shoulder as her long fingers reached up to tuck away a strand of loose hair.

Elena had mentioned about how hesitant Bonnie was whenever Stefan was around, which only made Caroline think about how she seemed to freeze when she saw Damon. Was it because of Stefan or had she known him already in the past? But she doubted Bonnie had such connections. Both had lived in the town all of their lives and surely Caroline wouldn't gotten the scoop if a certain dark-skinned beauty began fraternizing with either Salvatore.

They had showed up to cheerleading practice as they had the year before that and the year before that. It seemed to be such a routine that it was as normal and typical as walking. Caroline practiced a few kicks, breathing through the burn she felt in her upper thigh.

She wondered if she should tell Elena she had met Stefan's brother, whom Elena had only mentioned once or twice, but she had apparently met herself. 'It was a fluke,' She remembered Elena saying. 'I went there for Stefan. Between you and me, he was intimidating.' Later, she had spoken to Stefan about it, asking why he had never mentioned a brother before.

Stefan had brushed the topic away, Elena said, as if the very thought of Damon was poisonous. Caroline didn't understand that, because from what she knew, Damon was sweet and sincere. A smile appeared on her lips and warmth flushed in her cheeks as she thought about how he stared at her, bright blue eyes shaded by thick lashes.

His mouth was always tinged in a smirk, as if every word that came out of his mouth was connected to some sort of inside joke. Caroline liked that. Perhaps what she needed was a touch of bad boy.

Her thoughts swarmed with Damon at one point, and soon it became impossible for her to keep it inside of her. "I met Damon." Her words rushed out almost giddily, but her expressions soon fell when she knew that Elena would never gossip with her, like it used to be with Matt. The second she and him kissed, Caroline was the first to know. Nowadays, it seemed like she knew less and less about Stefan rather than more, because she wasn't sure what was a rumor and what was a concrete fact.

"You did?" Elena raised a brow as she tilted her head downwards slightly, staring at her through her lashes in a skeptical way. "Yeah," Caroline sighed dreamily, brushing away bits of grass and mud that had stuck to her shorts. "But Bonnie doesn't approve of him either, I don't think." Maybe it was because Caroline had ditched her for him, but what shook her most was Bonnie's reaction to seeing Damon. "I talked to her about him after he drove me home. She told me to be careful with him."

Elena nodded suddenly, her eyes taking on a strange look. "Yeah, that's what she said to me about Stefan." Caroline's face twisted with confusion, a small pout appearing as she wondered why. Surely there was nothing wrong with Stefan or Damon, besides that they were both too incredible looking to be human.

"Damon's coming to pick me up after practice." Caroline gushed quietly, a grin appearing on her lips as she faced Elena, who attempted a few jumping jacks. "Stefan's taking me out after practice too." Elena smiled slightly, exhaling a few breaths. A whistle blew and the girls were called together to a large group.

Tiki, a senior girl, led the group through the motions of last year's routine. She and Elena worked through them effortlessly. She glanced at Elena from the corner of her eye and felt her self-esteem swell. She was just as good as Elena. If a man like Damon noticed her, then maybe she wasn't giving herself enough credit. He was unlike any man she had met and she had a feeling that this was just the beginning of his surprises.

An hour had passed of flips and turns, thrusts and hip movements. Caroline and Elena picked up their bags and began walking to the parking lot where Damon and Stefan were meant to come and get them.

Stefan came first, and Elena soon disappeared from Caroline's side and into his arms. She smiled and giggled as he greeted her with a kiss. Caroline stood near the STOP sign located at the corner of the first opening in the parking lot, glancing down at her phone occasionally. She wondered if he wasn't coming. Maybe he forgot. Or changed his mind. Or just didn't care. She looked at Stefan and Elena from the corner of her eye. Elena was leaning against the side of the car and Stefan stood in front of her, leaning against the window with one hand. She cupped his cheeks and pulled him to her. Caroline sighed wistfully.

"You know, it's not nice to stare." A voice made her jump, making her phone clatter to the cemented sidewalk below. She groaned and picked it up, brushing away the gravel and checking for scratches. "You need to stop doing that." Caroline shoved her phone in her pocket, finding that she no longer cared about its state. Damon had come. She looked up at his face, smiling at what she saw. Jet black hair with a prominent jawline and perfectly straight nose.

"You scare too easy." Damon reasoned, shrugging a shoulder as he glanced over Caroline's head at Stefan and Elena. He felt a twinge of jealousy. "Damon?" Caroline inquired quietly, looking up at the frozen figure with a look of worry.

"Hm." Damon murmured, then lowered his eyes down to her. "Why don't you go over there and see if we can join them, hm? That's what is the latest rage now, right? Double dating?" Caroline's face fell gently. Her jealousy of Elena had much faded since two nights ago, but she had been looking forward to spending time with Damon alone. She needed to make sure she wasn't crazy after all.

"Maybe some other time, Damon. I'm sure they want their privacy, as we want ours.." Caroline giggled quietly, her fingers trailing up the black button-up shirt on Damon's toned upper body. Damon exhaled somewhat impatiently. He regained himself, offered a small albeit tight smile and took her hands in his. "Oh, come on. It'll be fun. Then afterwards, we'll have as much privacy as we want."

Caroline still seemed hesitant. She was yet to open her mouth when her eyes flickered up to his. Damon took advantage of this, his pupils dialating as his mind connected and warped hers. "Go make sure we can join them." His voice was soft and soothing but demanding. A tone which would have made Caroline swoon any other time. But her mind was under pressure at the moment, at Damon's expense. She nodded, her glazed eyes slowly returning to consciousness. "Hey, maybe we can join them! I love double dates." Caroline smiled before turning around and jogging over to the other couple.

Damon rolled his eyes at her insistent enthusiasm, but his eyes wandered up and down her figure as she bounded away. She might be his best choice yet.

He stood relatively still as his hearing perked up, hoping to hear some parts of the conversation.

"Elena, hey, glad I caught you before you guys left. Damon and I were thinking, we should hang out together for lunch." Caroline presented the idea with such animation, she seemed to be proud of thinking of it herself. Actually, the more she thought about it, the better of an idea it seemed. She could find out more about Damon and Stefan at the same time, along with continue battling her raging jealousy of Elena. Surely the green eyed monster would have no reason to return with a Salvatore on her arm.

"Oh, Caroline, we were actually going to-"

"The Grill?" Caroline chimed in, her blonde locks shifting in the light autumn breeze. "Perfect. We'll meet you there."

She walked back to Damon, consciously making sure her hips shook a little bit more than usually. A wave of confidence swept through her when she saw Damon staring straight at her as she walked towards him.

While his eyes had glanced towards the perky blonde's fabulous curves, Damon was more intrigued by the look of confusion on Elena's face and the one of disgust on Stefan's face. Elena shrugged off the invitation, deciding it wouldn't be so bad. But Stefan's eyes were hard and cold as they met Damon's. He could see Caroline had been compelled.

"We're on for lunch at the grill." Caroline reported proudly as she stooped down to pick up her bag. Damon smiled, glad that he had chosen Caroline, and bent over to pick it up himself. "Please, allow me." She smiled at him coyly before walking towards the pale blue convertible parked just off the street.

Damon turned around and looked over his shoulder, giving a sly wave to the couple standing just thirty feet away.


	5. Chapter 5

"That was fun," Caroline giggled as she collapsed onto the couch in the living room of the Salvatore house. "Although Elena wouldn't look away from Stefan for more than a minute." She added underneath her breath with a chuckle. Damon kinked a brow ironically as he walked into the living room with her, stopping by the table of drinks located in front of the doorway first.

"Bunches of." He murmured, pouring a warm, red-orange drink into a crystal glass. "Oh, come on, Damon. Your brother isn't all bad."

_He's a liar._ Damon thought. At the lunch, Stefan had fed Elena lie after lie and she didn't seem to notice anything astray. He couldn't wait until it all blew up in his face and Elena saw the lies fall apart like old bones.

"Your ring is beautiful." He hadn't realized that he had taken a seat next to Caroline until her hand took his. She admired the blue bejewled ring before casually slipping it off his finger, a coy smile on her lips.

"I don't think so." Damon smirked, moving to catch her wrist. Caroline evaded him swiftly and stood from the couch as she slipped the ring onto her own finger. Her infectious laugh rang through the walls of the foyer. Damon shook his head, amused in an exasperated way, and glanced outside the windows. Well, at least the sun was down.

"I just wanted to try it on." She murmured innocently as her laugh turned into a shriek. Damon stood, moving to catch her as she twisted out of his grip and bounded up the stairs. He exhaled somewhat impatiently, but couldn't help as an amused smirk appeared on his lips. "Three, two, one.."

He counted off smoothly before disappearing up the stairs at his fullest speed. "I'll take that." Damon caught Caroline's wrist with an iron-like grasp and lightly slipped the ring off her finger. "Fun's over." He added as he smiled down at her triumphantly. Caroline's smile lingered as she turned around, finding she had led Damon into one of the spare bedrooms. "I love it here." She said wistfully, jumping onto the puffy cushions. "Mm." She sighed quietly, stretching out into the soft covers. She opened her eyes and beckoned him with a finger. "Come join me."

Damon chuckled as he neared the bed, his fingers slipping up her neck just as his lips collided with hers. He sat down onto the bed, easing her down below him as her head pressed into the pillows beneath her. She groaned quietly as the kiss deepened, her fingers moved to his shirt. He obliged and discarded it, and soon removed hers as well. His lips trailed soft kisses up her stomach as her fingers trailed through his silky black hair.

She placed her arms up over her head as he trailed kisses up her stomach and up her jawline. But he stopped in the crook of her neck. She hadn't noticed. His eyes churned a deep red colour and a stinging sensation was in his gums. Veins webbed underneath his eyes as the craving, the need began to beat his resistance down.

Not that he had any in the first place.

Caroline's eyes opened when Damon's touch had stopped for a moment, her eyes widening in shock as she saw the demon in front of her.

Damon moved quickly, his teeth coming around the soft skin of her neck before she had a true chance to react. Caroline's scream echoed in the empty halls of the Salvatore house.

It was dark in the room when Caroline opened her eyes. She could only see the faint outline of the bed she was laying on in the midst of the darkness. She shifted gently, feeling the silk sheets beneath her fingers, but a deep, thobbing pain in her side stopped her. She gasped at its severity, her hand reaching up to feel over her neck. Her fingers touched sensitive puncture holes, with what felt like dried blood running down her collarbone.

Her eyes widened, the realization of what happened crashing against her like a waterfall. Damon. His face. He bit her! A hysterical yelp escaped her lips as fear tore through her, her eyes flitting across the room to try and find the outline of her attacker.

Things began to come into focus and she could soon see the mahogany desk in the far corner, the night stand and the tall bookshelves that lined the room. But there was no one out there, which only meant one thing.

Caroline pressed her hand to her lips as she forced herself to look to her left. A shirtless torso laid beside her, his black hair shadowing his face away from her.

She caught glances of red along his lips and chin and pressed her hand into her mouth harder. Breathing was suddenly difficult. She needed to get out. Out of this room, out of the house and away from him, forever.

It was difficult manuvering through the room, mostly because she was unfamiliar of everything's place. She swung her legs over the side, her bottom teeth biting her lip a little harder each time she took a step.

Her feet padded across the wooden floors, and tip-toed over the soft carpet slowly, glancing over her shoulder once every so often. Damon's figure was stone-like, save for the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Okay, she thought to herself, her breath wavering as she reached forward towards the doorknob. Almost there.

Her fingers brushed against the cold metal as she swallowed, her throat clenched with fear. One last time, her eyes darted around to where he laid, no longer seeing the wonderful man she thought he was. He was a monster. He tried to kill her!

Her eyes squinted towards the bed, finding it difficult to make out Damon's body anymore in the darkness. Her heartbeat started pounding, her blood rushing in her ears. She spun around and reached for the doorknob, just as Damon's hand slid over her cheek and pushed her chin upwards towards him.

Her heart jumped up into her throat and fear seized her mucles simaltaneously. Her eyes looked up at his and found she could see them relatively clearly, the blues of his irises shining like tropical waters.

His touch was neither harsh nor abrupt, but light and gentle, as if he had been expecting her the entire time. Her voice finally caught up with her breathing as her heart continued to pound, despite being unlodged from her throat. "Please. Don't." Damon paid little attention to her raspy words, his thumb tracing along her bottom lip. "Well, look at that. You bit your lip so hard you made it _bleed._"


	6. Chapter 6

Caroline's fingers raised tentatively as she touched her lip and pulled it away to find bright drops of blood, marking her skin devilishly. She hadn't noticed she bit her lip so hard. But he did. And she knew why. She pulled back away from his touch, willing her body to act out the screaming commands her mind was making. As she turned, placing one fractic step after the other, she slipped on the carpet and collapsed. The air blew out of her lungs at the impact, her eyes closing tightly to make the room stop spinning. But it wasn't the severity of the fall that was affecting her so horribly. It was the reality she had been faced with just seconds ago. Everything she knew about him was a lie.

"Don't get blood on the carpet." Caroline's head lifted slightly, and it was a moment before she realized she had landed on the right side of her body, the side the bloody bite marks were on. Her hand reached up to cup the wound, finding it fresh and reopened. She shuddered at the feeling of the warm liquid on her fingers.

"Don't touch me!" She jumped back from his beckoning hand, her eyes flitting up to his. While they were no longer wicked, his gaze was unkind. His outstretched hand seemed suspicious. But with his back to the door, she knew the slighest move would set him off. She wouldn't have a single chance of escaping. Damon rolled his eyes, grabbed her wrist and pulled her up to her feet. "That, right there," He glanced down at the carpet beneath their feet. "Is from eighteeth century Italy. I don't trust in your abilities to replace it, should you be careless like that again." Caroline pulled her wrist away, and cradled it in her other hand. His fingerprints were slowly disappearing from her skin.

"Why, Damon?" She was surprised at how forced her voice sounded, helpless and vulnerable. She swallowed and attempted to square her shoulders. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. But she was all too confused to put on a brave face. This was the unknown, and it was terrifying.

"It's in my nature, it's who I am." He replied, crossing his arms over his torso- still shirtless. But her eyes were no longer drawn to the toned muscles or lean build. It was his eyes that mesmerized her. Seconds ago, he was a demon. Now he looked like the saviour she once thought he was. Which one was imagined?

"As in?" She asked, more stability in her voice this time. She released her hand and stood in front of him seemingly defiantly. But her target was the door, which she knew she had to reach. She needed to tell somebody, anybody, of what she saw tonight. At least that way he could never do it again.

"Creature of the night." He replied dramatically, murmuring the words in a mockingly animated voice.

The very idea that vampires existed once wasn't uncommon in Mystic Falls. She had always heard stories back in the Civil wars, but always assumed they were a metaphor for the enemy, as she once heard Mr. Tanner explain. But even still, people were mocked if they believed the old tales of folklore. It was ridiculous. And yet, surreal, because the very figure itself was standing in front of her.

Her face seemed frozen, unable to move or express. her breathing was shallow and her eyes lingered on his. Damon took several times forward, his hand slipping up to her neck once more. "I got you good, didn't I?" He brushed away her blonde curls and traced his fingers nearby the wounds. Caroline resisted at first, her brows knitting together in confusion. But soon her eyes closed at the feeling. She willed herself to push away once more, but quickly found she couldn't. Why couldn't she move?

"Let me worry about what I am, alright? You just go about living your life. I'll only intercede when necessary."

"Which is when, when you want someone to feed from?" She spat.

"Hey, there's an idea."

Caroline shook her head, her curls shuffling as she pulled away from him once more, backing up until her knees hit the bed. "I can't do this. I can't handle this. You need to get away from me." She sat down, placing her head in her hands as she shut her eyes tightly.

"Honestly, I killed people who handled this better." Damon muttered underneath his breath, sitting down onto the bed beside her.

"Look, Caroline. Right now, I need you, okay? Your purpose suits me. So you're just going to have to let this go."

Caroline's voice was bitter when she replied. "Let this go? You lied to me!"

"Ah, ah, that's not fair. I never said I was human." Damon corrected, his hand materializing on her shoulder. "You'll find I'm a good ally to have, alright? It won't be so bad. But, you do have to promise me you won't tell anybody about this."

Caroline found the idea laughable. She knew she was going to tell Elena and Bonnie the second she got the chance. When was the last time she had kept a secret?

"Okay." Her voice wavered when she answered, realizing that her reply was false. Damon seemed to notice as well, his brow raising inquisitively. "Caroline." Her name had never sounded so foreign, his tone serious and unforgiving.

"I promise." She added in a high voice, her head turning to face him. Damon's eyes searched hers for a moment, glanced down at the wound in her neck and nodded. "Alright."

Caroline found she had to force herself to breathe. His gaze tore straight through her. Once more, she touched the dried blood on her neck and stood, her knees buckling slightly. "I'm going to go clean this off."

Damon shrugged a shoulder, standing from the bed. "You can, but I don't see a point." He was only going to undo all of her work anyway. He walked to the other side of the bed and laid down once more, with an air of self-confidence.

Caroline didn't seem to listen to this, because she began to walk stiffly towards the door. She hesitated before turning the knob, wondering if Damon had changed his mind about letting her out. But even as the door swung open, she didn't feel his presence anyway nearby. With one stone-like step after the other, she pulled the heavy door open and disappeared behind it. But she never heard it close behind her.

Three mistakenly opened spare bedrooms later, she had found the bathroom where she could analyze the marks better. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips as she brushed her curls to one side, her fingers touching her scraped skin delicately. Picking up a handtowel, she turned on the tap and wet it beneath it.

As the rag moved towards the bite, she froze, staring in the mirror. What was she doing? This was the perfect evidence to reveal him once and for all. No animal could make these sorts of marks, and Damon had practically no alibi!

But firstly, she needed to get out of the house, and now. She left the tap on, figuring it could mask some of her shuffling and Damon would never know the bathroom was empty. She turned the doorknob lightly and walked outside, revealed to find the hallways as abandoned as ever. There was no sound coming from the room they were just in. Maybe Damon had fallen asleep.

She tiptoed gently along the corridor, but as she neared the front doors, she found herself eager and scared. Gentle footsteps became frantic, soundless bounds as she took the stairs two at a time and flew through the living room and into the foyer, one hand pressing into her mouth to stop from panting.

She stopped in the doorway of the lounge, where just across the room, the front hallway was. And from the corner of her eye, she could see the large wooden doors that would prove to be her last chance. Her walk was interceded when a gust of wind and the sudden feeling of having her body pressed against the wall happened within a few seconds. Damon's suspicious and outraged face materialized in front of hers, his hand placed around her neck. "I guess I shouldn't have trusted the town's biggest gossip to hold my secret."

But his grasp wasn't suffocating, just iron-strong. Her eyes flickered from his to the door, which now seemed a thousand miles away. "I'm going to keep your secret, I just want to leave."

Damon chuckled, his hand slipping away from her neck. "I'm not falling for that again." His eyes bore into hers, his pupil dialating as her mind began to warp underneath his influence. "You won't tell anybody about this."

"I won't."

The creak of the floorboards interrupted him as his head turned to face the intrustion. Stefan stood on the higher step, the doorway into the living room, his arms crossed over his chest. "I thought I told you to leave her alone."

"Ah, dear brother, when will you learn?"


	7. Chapter 7

Damon's grasp loosened on Caroline's neck until his hand slid off and was placed onto her shoulder, a smirk on his lips as he turned to his brother. Caroline's eyes followed him with fear clear on her expression. "You really should knock, Stefan. You were.." Damon tossed a glance over at Caroline, who turned her gaze away. Damon's smiled lingered, unphased by her reaction. "Interrupting."

Stefan took the step down onto the main floor of the living room, standing level with his brother. Damon raised a brow inquisitively. "I'm sorry- did you want something?" He asked, though he found he didn't really care.

Stefan looked towards Caroline, who had begun to nurse her wounds once more. "She's a human being, Damon. She's not your personal toy." Damon shrugged a shoulder, walking back into the living room. He poured himself a drink, swirling the alcohol around the glass as he considered Stefan's words.

"See, that's where you're wrong, Stefan. We're supernatural beings, we're above them. Don't ruin my fun, brother. Or I'll have to ruin yours." He chuckled darkly, taking a drink from the glass in his hand. Stefan's head turned towards him, leaning against the doorframe. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play so innocent with me. I know about Elena."

"That's different and you know it, Damon. I don't abuse Elena like you do Caroline." Caroline paid no attention to her name being called. She was confused and scared and uncertain of where her place was anymore. It certainly wasn't in Damon's arms. Her fingers touched the wounds, wincing at the searing pain that scorched the raw skin.

"Then you don't know what you're missing." Damon replied easily, placing the empty glass on a table nearby. He turned around and walked towards Caroline. He took her arm delicately, coaxing her to stand up. Reluctant, she obeyed, her eyes wide with a doe-like stare. "If you're worried about her talking, that's not going to happen." To her surprise, the whites of his eyes were coated in a blood red colour, the crystalline irises becoming as black as the night. He bit into his wrist, making small, round drops of blood appear on the puncture holes. "This will help." He explained, brushing her hair away from the wounds. She looked at Stefan, who seemed passive about Damon's actions. But since it seemed like he was on her side and he didn't object, then it couldn't have been dangerous.

Caroline took Damon's wrist in her hands and placed her lips to the punctures. The flavour was sickening, but she could already feel the pain dulling in her neck.

Stefan shook his head, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. "You're so transparent when you're deflecting." Damon pulled his wrist away from her lips, watching as the holes closed up within moments. "And you're pathetic when you're.. You're always pathetic."

"This all leads back to Katherine, doesn't it?" Stefan asked, his tone becoming lighter. "You were angry when she chose me, and ever since then, it's been nothing but compulsion and drinking from girls."

Damon chuckled sardonically, waving away the very notion of it. "Katherine has been out of my life for over a century and I prefer it that way. Besides, I've got my cheerleader now." Stefan glanced over at Caroline, placing her arms over the loose t-shirt she had arrived in. But her long legs, the ones that Damon treasured so much, were uncovered.

She looked back at him with an uncertain look, and dropped his gaze within moments. "Elena will hate you for this." Stefan added, watching his brother as he reclaimed his crystal glass and refilled it.

"Well, that's not my problem, is it, Stef? It's yours." Damon replied, lifting the glass to his lips once more. "Not that she'll find out so easily." He shot Stefan a suspicious look as he placed the half-empty glass onto the table beside him and neared Caroline once more.

"You won't tell anybody about this. Cover up the bites. You're not frightened anymore."

Damon's three commands began to unfold inside of Caroline's mind as she exhaled, glanced over at Stefan and smiled for the first time since she had arrived.


	8. Chapter 8

"There we go." Damon murmured, almost chiding as his hand slipped up and down her arm gently. For a moment, it looked as if he were comforting her, but Stefan knew better than that. Caroline's smile was dazed at first, but the longer she atred up at Damon, the brighter and fresher her smile became. Damon's fingers brushed aside some of her hair, the trademark smirk lingering on his lips. "Much better."

He tossed a glance in Stefan's direction, and his face became a mask, the disappointment of his presence poorly hidden. "Shouldn't you be brooding somewhere?" Stefan glanced at Caroline once more and shrugged his shoulders, turning away from his brother once more, as he had done far too many times over the years.

Damon picked up the half-full glass and finished it off, thankful for the strong taste of alcohol burning in the back of his throat. Caroline seemed animated now, her fingers touching the buttons on his black shirt as she neared him. "Last night was great." Damon raised a brow at this, but his wicked smile lingered. The last night that she seemed to be thinking about never happened. What she was remembering were the last moments of content and pleasure she felt after biting her. Not that she remembered that part either.

"Yes, it was." His eyes traveled from hers downwards, and he wasn't shy about going upwards either. She giggled lightly, then offered him her hand, palm turned upwards and flat. "Can I borrow your car? I need a ride home."

Damon's eyes lingered on her for a moment, still amused, but the smile had faded from his lips. He didn't have much faith in her driving abilties, or any seventeen year old's for that matter, and that car sitting in the garage was worth more than her house. She stared up at him with feline-green eyes, wild and crystal-clear and he felt compelled to oblige- almost. "Tell you what, take Stefan's car." Damon passed her for a moment to pick up the keys, laying conveniently on the coffee table adjcent to where they were standing. "Shouldn't I ask him first?"

Damon shrugged, placing the keys into her palm and curling her fingers around them. "He won't care. I can come pick it up later." Give him another chance to get invited into that damn house of hers. "Okay." She gave no further trouble and rushed upstairs to gather her things together. A drink and a few minutes later, she came down the stairs in her high heels with an Hermes scarf wrapped around her delicate neck. Damon interceded her path towards the door and examined her wounds. But from what he could see, there was no redness, no deep puncture wounds whatsoever. Caroline's smile was proud. "The wonders of make-up, Damon." Her fingers brushed against his cheek as she walked out of the house, closing the door behind her.

Stefan was unsettled by Damon's handiwork against Caroline. It was inhumane to treat a person like that- they had both been humans at one point as well. They lived among them, why did they have to treat them with such cruelty? But Damon didn't know such kindess. He never would. Determined, he slid his cellphone into his pocket and searched the area for his car keys. As a quick mental recap, he remembered seeing them on the table in the living room. He was almost relieved to see that Caroline had gone, and while he had hoped Damon would leave as well, he reminded himself that progress was good. As long as she wasn't here, she was safe from anymore harm.

Surprised by his mind's ability to play tricks, his outstretched hand had nothing to grab onto. "Where are my keys?"

Damon didn't turn around when he replied. "Caroline borrowed your car."

Stefan exhaled, annoyed by Damon's disregard for everything that wasn't his. But while this was inconvenient, it in no way interfered with his plan to stop Damon before he truly hurt Caroline. He shrugged it off. "My destination isn't far." He replied, feeling obliged to give some sort of explanation to his upcoming disappearance. He turned on his heel, grabbed his jacket and turned the doorknob.

Damon's voice was as clear as if he were standing behind him. But he knew he was back in the foyer, there was nobody behind him. His words were eerie, almost all-knowing.

"Tell Elena I said hi."

It was too casual for him, which was what didn't fit. Stefan shrugged on his jacket and nodded, despite that he couldn't see. "Sure." He hadn't realized how strained his voice sounded until it escaped with that one word.

Well, no matter.

"Stefan? What are you doing here?" Elena's words were complimented with a surprised, but genuinely happy smile as her boyfriend materialized from behind the door.

"I just came to talk." He replied as lightly as he could, in case Jenna or Jeremy should be near.

"Oh, well, I'm just about to meet Caroline and Bonnie, so-"

"This won't take a minute." He returned, his tone melodic but uncharacteristically stern. Elena's smile dissolved slightly as she nodded and pulled the door open for him. He stepped inside, feeling the immediate warmth of life present in the household. It was like a force, one to be reckoned with. Elena walked up the stairs wordlessly, tossing a glance into the kitchen where Jenna was, the cordless phone glued to her ear. Stefan followed,and didn't stop until he was leaning against the closed door.

"What is it, Stefan?" Elena's voice was worn with worry, her shaped brows coming together in confusion.

"You've met Damon, haven't you, Elena?" Stefan began, attempting to ease into it as delicately as he could. But he knew the moment he released the truth, Elena would be after Damon with a stake in either hand. "Well, apparently so has Caroline and she's no stranger to Damon anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Damon would have my head if he knew I was telling you this, but I thought I owe it to Caroline because.. she has bite marks, all over her body." A muscle worked in his jaw as he watched Elena's reaction, which went from worried to solemn to furious.

"I can't believe this."

But, oh, yes, she did. His soft words and light touch were only masking something deeper inside of him. Something dark. Something evil. His true nature. She knew what he was capable of, but almost refused to believe it before. And how could she? Naturally, she thought any relative of Stefan's-much less a brother, would be at least somewhat similar to him in his morals. But she was wrong. And for that, for allowing the darkness to engulf him until he became a source of it himself, he would surely be sorry.


	9. Chapter 9

"Elena, you can't face him head on."

Elena's head snapped towards him for a moment as she stuffed a sweater into her shoulder bag. Her hair was rustled now, it was clear her composure had been lost. "Yes, I can, Stefan. He can't do this anymore, not to the people I love." She muttered, forcefully pushing the sweater until the bag had managed to zip up. She sighed, exasperated, when she spotted the thick, hard cover book laying beside her that was she was meant to return. She looked down at the swollen bag and groaned underneath her breath.

"Elena-" Stefan tried once more, taking a step towards her. This had been a bad idea. Now that she was going to see Caroline, she would try to take things into her own hands, which could end very badly for either her or the blonde.

"Are you _defending _him?" She hissed, pulling the sweater out until the bag had deflated. She dropped the book inside and tossed the cardigan away on a nearby chair. Surely it wouldn't be so chilly outside.

"No, I don't condone his actions, Elena, but I know my brother. The more you tell him not to do something, the greater challenge he gets in doing it. Besides, he's running on a lot of human blood right now and his temper has never been stable." By now, Stefan had neared her, his hands slipping onto her cheeks. She averted her eyes, her anger defeated like an extinguished fire. "If he takes your words the wrong way, he could do something rash. I won't risk you being killed."

Elena raised her chin defiantly, hoping to scrape up whatever dignity hadn't been squished. "But what about Caroline? I can't let her be at his mercy. He's psychotic."

"I'll watch Caroline and Damon when I can, but I can't promise anything. But you, you can find out what Caroline says about him." Elena nodded with a soft exhale, picked up her bag which now seemed oddly light, kissed Stefan goodbye and walked down the stairs to her car. "You need a ride anywhere?" She asked, noticing the bright red car wasn't parked in its usual spot behind hers.

"No, you go ahead."

Caroline smiled slightly at the mental image of Damon, as he had been brought up in the conversation once more. Bonnie, however, did not share her enthusiasm.

"Caroline, I know what I saw." She tried once more, placing her coffee down on the table. Her eyes were hard, gaze unwavering.

"Look, I know you like playing witch, Bonnie, but let's cut the crap, okay? How can you have a vision when you touch somebody? It doesn't make sense." Her tone had implied that the subject was dismissed, but Bonnie refused to allow it.

"This isn't a joke. Your fate has been altered by him." Her voice had gotten lower, because despite her confidence in her visions, she preferred to keep it private. "But fine. Make of it what you will." With little to no strange glances in her direction, she straightened her shoulders, picked up her bag and excused herself to the bathroom.

Caroline's bubbly vibe had been popped. She frowned slightly into her glass of water, taking a small drink of it. As she did so, there was an old pain in her collarbone. Like she had a bruise there from months ago that had never really quite healed. But she knew there was nothing there, she didn't even have to check.. Why was that?

She adjusted the scarf hanging on her slender neck, her fingers playing with the colourful fringes on the ends as Elena walked into the Grill, placing a light albeit uncertain smile on her lips. Her eyes darted to the scarf as she sat down. Already, half of her suspicions had been confirmed.

"Hey, Caroline." She smiled, sitting down in the spot between Caroline and what she assumed to be Bonnie's seat. "Where'd she go?"

"Bathroom." She replied, taking a few more sips of the water. "So you ready to order? Because I'm starving." She laughed lightly, picking up a menu from the middle of the table. Elena did the same, and whilst Caroline examined all of the choices, Elena's vision zeroed in on the side of her neck. She saw a few marks, but nothing she could pinpoint to be bites. They seemed too small. Discouraged, she forced her eyes towards the menu and ordered the first thing that she saw.

"So how are things with Damon?" The atmosphere brightened when Caroline's favourite subject had come up. Closing her menu, she placed her hands in her lap with a smile.

"Oh, he's amazing. A perfect gentleman. I think I got the other brother for good. Hope you don't mind." She smiled kindly at her, and placed her hand on Elena's wrist.

"Thanks for asking, Elena. I'm glad you support me and him. Bonnie, she just doesn't understand, does she? But you do." Elena's returned smile was genuine but more worried than playful.

"I understand. Salvatores certainly have their way, don't they?"

Caroline's brow perked up suggestively. "You have no idea. Last night-"

"Hey, sorry I was gone so long." Bonnie offered a smile to Elena, glanced at Caroline and sat down in her seat. She picked up the one menu left and looked through it. While the conversation had gone quiet, Caroline wasn't in a rush to finish her sentence. Bonnie would only break her hopes again.

"Elena, your phone's blinking." She looked to see the little red light flashing patiently, and scooped up the device in her fingers. She opened up the messaging application and scrolled until she found the unopened message.

As she realized who the sender was, she looked up at Bonnie who was staring at her the entire time.

She opened up the message, fingers hesitant and brows creased with uncertainty.

**From: Bonnie! **

**I'm worried about Caroline. I saw something else, but she won't believe me. I know Damon's up to something. **

The black, encoded text seemed so foreign and cold all of a sudden. She closed the message and looked at Bonnie once more, while Caroline was distracted with calling a waitress over.

Her look was inquisitive, she knew what Elena was asking. Bonnie looked down at the table, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She watched Caroline until she was sure that she wasn't looking. Finally, her lips moved, showing flashes of white teeth, and from her mouth came the softest whisper she had ever heard. "Her death."


	10. Chapter 10

Elena's delicate brows rose within a moment as Bonnie's words reached her eyes, sending cold shivers up her spine. Her features were covered with disbelief, lips parted as she tried to think, but no words could properly express her fear. She glanced at Caroline, who, unbeknownst to her, was literally flirting with Death himself. A feeling of protectiveness washed over her as she turned back to Bonnie.

"Are you sure?" Her lips mouthed the words gently, as inaudible as a pin dropping in the midst of a crowd. Bonnie's dark curls shook in confirmation. Her eyes looked sad, and Elena knew it was because she was practically saddled with this horrid gift for the rest of her life. Elena suddenly found herself tightening her jacket around her. She didn't want to know what Bonnie would see if she touched her.

"The service here is crazy, right guys?" Caroline glanced over her shoulder at the two women with a small smile. "Hey, what's got the two of you so gloomy?" Bonnie hesitated to respond.

"Nothing. Not gloomy at all." She replied, placing a soft smile on her lips. Caroline shrugged a shoulder, looking up when the waitress finally came around their table.

"I'll have the chicken sliders, please." Elena and Bonnie gave their orders as well, along with a request of extra refreshments. Caroline folded her hands and placed them beneath her chin, similarly to on the night she met Damon. "Okay, guys, what is it?"

"We.. were just thinking about the Miss Mystic Falls pageant." A sharp elbow was thrust in Bonnie's direction as Elena's widened and scolding eyes tossed her a look. Bonnie glared back at her, not finding the error in her mistake.

"Ooh, yes! I can't wait for that. I still need to find a dress, work on my speech.." Caroline sighed wistfully. "Elena, are you going?"

Elena looked down at the water standing on the table, suddenly finding things such as pageants childish. She didn't want Bonnie to mention it because then the conversations of escorts would surely come up. She wanted Damon far away from her.

"Uh, yeah, I think so. I haven't talked to Stefan about it yet though. He claims he didn't inherit the Salvatore dancing gene." A small chuckle escaped her lips in spite of herself. "I wonder if-"

As if on cue, a dark figure emerged from the doors of the Grill. The usually light atmosphere seemed to darken in the small restaurant as the long and lean figure materialized suddenly at their table.

"Damon. We were just talking about you." Caroline supplied as she leaned over for a kiss. Damon obliged, smiling as he pulled away. "Good things, I hope."

"So, Elena, I was wondering where you were going to get your dress and everything." Elena shook her head, glancing in Damon's direction. "A dress?" He asked inquisitively, looking towards Elena. "Yeah, for Miss-"

"Caroline, we can talk about this later. I'm sure Damon doesn't want to hear about this." Elena added, but it was useless. The escort part of the dance would come up sooner or later. Damon seemed thrilled by this conversation, as if he knew the entire time that it was going to come up.

"No, Elena, I don't mind at all. It's the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, correct?" He turned his head towards Caroline, offering a lighter smile than usual. He glanced in Bonnie's direction, surprised by the frown that she clearly wore on her features that always seemed to be meant for him. "Can't say being judged by beauty is fair, especially when all the ladies of Mystic Falls are beautiful."

Elena shifted oddly, but Damon noticed the slightest flare of pink in the middle of her cheek. Bonnie seemed subtly appreciative of his comment, while Caroline ducked her head with a small smile on her lips.

"Speaking of which, Caroline Forbes, would you do me the honor of making me your escort for the night's festivities?"

Caroline's smile doubled, her eyes soft and warm, like her touch as her hand reached up and covered only about half of Damon's. "I'd love for you to escort me." Her voice had a twinge of excitement in it. Elena's expression didn't change.

Damon's smile was smooth. "Wonderful."

"Well, I have to be going." Bonnie collected her jacket and purse, slinging it over her shoulder. She clutched the coat closer to herself as she saw Damon's predatory gaze. He was planning something, and she wasn't going to sit here while he used them all as parts in his scheme. She knew better than that.

"But we just ordered." Caroline insisted, placing a small frown on her lips. What was up with her friends tonight? Elena seemed jumpy and Bonnie seemed set on being negative all night. Just when Damon had turned it around, Bonnie brought it down all over again.

"God, what is with you guys?" She exclaimed, placing her elbows on the table as she placed her head in her hands.

"Nothing, Caroline, I just need to get home because I have to make dinner tonight. I'll call you guys tomorrow." She replied, shooting Damon another quick look. Dauntless, he stood from his chair and walked towards her, gesturing towards the nearest exit to their right. "Please, allow me." He pulled the door open, keeping it open with his body weight. Chin raised confidently, she strolled halfway through before turning to face him.

"You're not fooling me, Damon. You may have Caroline and Elena and everybody else in town fooled, but not me. I know you're going to do something and I know you're going to hurt Caroline. I'm not going to let that happen. So why don't you just come to terms with the inevitable and call off your scheme before I do?"

Damon shrugged his shoulder, his eyebrows jolting upwards momentarily. "What on earth are you talking about? I'm merely escorting the lovely Caroline to the pageant, Bonnie.. However, if some situation should arise, I'm afraid that's out of our hands and out of our control, isn't it?" He leaned back against the glass door with an air of arrogance, looking down at her happily.

"You know nothing, Bonnie. As soon as you can take a good look at yourself, you'll never realize just how fatally mistaken you are. You've never seen real power. And you never will have it."

Bonnie sighed in an annoyed way, her eyes like fire against his scolding coal-like ones. "Don't underestimate me, Damon." She quickly left afterwards, forcing herself not to look over her shoulder. _Don't be scared of him, idiot! You're a bennett. Maybe it's time to go beyond just hearing what Grams says and try to actually listen! If I am what Grams thinks I am and Damon is what I think he is, then it's up to me to protect Caroline. And if I weaken, even for a moment.._

Upon returning to their table, Damon excused himself to the bar momentarily. As he sat on the barstool, back to the pair of ladies, he ordered a bourbon. Cradling the crystal glass between his fingertips, he listened in on parts of their conversation, but found it had little to do with him, so he quickly lost interest. But oh, how well his plan was turning out. Caroline was putty in his hands. Elena would be his in no time. All it took now was a matter of compulsion and Stefan's easily planned and 'unfortunate' absence. After all, every respectable young lady of the Mystic Falls court needed an escort. Far be it from him not to rescue a damsel in distress.

Although even as he drank bits of the bourbon, willing the strong, bitter drink down his throat he glanced over his shoulder once or twice at the girls. Caroline, bubbly and bright, seemed to be talking twice as much as Elena. He smiled a bit, chuckling beneath his breath. _Cute. _


	11. Chapter 11

"Maybe it won't be so bad. A few drinks, a few speeches, they crown the winner." Elena's voice sounded somewhat hopeful as she fingered the silky blue material of her dress, laying spread out on her bedspread. She looked up at Bonnie, who had plugged in the curling iron and tested it gently on her fingertips.

"I can't even concentrate on this. All I can think about is Caroline always being at Damon's mercy." Elena sighed, her fist wrinkling the fabric as she slammed against the materess in frustration. "I should have known. I should have told her. I should-"

"Elena, stop!" Bonnie's kind, heart-shaped face suddenly appeared in front of Elena, her fingers smoothing out her hair gently as she coaxed her back to reality. "Don't do this to yourself. Damon takes what he wants without reason, without consequence. No one could have forseen this. But we're going to do what we can to get her out of this mess, alright?"

Elena's eyes casted downwards as she nodded, feeling Bonnie's figure disappear then reappear. "Then let's get you ready, alright?" Elena felt the warm wand divulge into her hair, leaving behind delicate and natural looking curls. Bonnie ran her fingers through them gently, separating each one into its own unique spiral. "Hang on, forgot the hairspray." Bonnie slid off the bed and jogged quickly through the adjacent doors to the bathroom, picking up the purple can. She glanced up in the mirror for only a moment, but froze as she stared at the reflection.

The door slammed closed as Damon walked into the boarding house, the need for subtlety obviously overrated. He walked into the foyer, through the hallways until he reached the living room. Sure enough, he found Stefan staring into a roaring fire, a drink in his hand. But it wasn't blood. It was alcohol.

Damon squared his jaw, shook his head and appeared beside Stefan within moments. "I see. Because you just couldn't get off your pedastel, you decided to ruin my fun." Stefan turned his head, his face passive to Damon's anger. "I did what was right."

"You tattled on me to your girlfriend. Could you be any less of a man?"

"Damon, a man doesn't push others around just because they can. What you still fail to understand is that Caroline is a person. She doesn't deserved to be treated this way." Stefan drank back the last few drops in the glass and placed it on the mantel. Damon crossed his arms over his chest, smirking slightly.

"You do not get to tell me how to live my life, Stefan. Not anymore." Damon shook his head, finding Stefan's words ridiculous. He picked up his own glass, filled it then moved to leave the room.

"You're going to kill her, aren't you?" Stefan's voice was hollow, the question was somehow strained. He knew what this would do to Elena, how this would effect him and his brother. All because of one girl and Damon's greed.

But while the smirk disappeared from Damon's lips, a look of light smile appeared as he turned around. "Don't immediately assume the worst, brother. Your forehead's very crowded already, let's not create another frown line."

"Elena!" Bonnie's shriek reached a piercing note, her eyes widened and ears stinging from the noise itself. But the figure in the mirror didn't look disturbed by her scream. In fact, the reflection didn't look like her.

The solem face was framed by a few loose strands of hair that were otherwise trapped underneath an old eighteenth century bonnet. Her apperance was calm, her eyes beady.

Bonnie's panting increased as she back up into the wall, wishing, pushing that she could get away farther from the terrifying image.

Elena appeared in the room as quickly as soon as she heard the scream. She fell to her knees, placing her hands on Bonnie's shoulders. "What, what is it?" She asked quietly, her brow creased.

"T-t-the.. mirror." Elena gasped as she spun around and walked towards the large mirror, spanning almost the length of the counter top. But as she moved her right arm, then her left, she found nothing wrong with the reflection. Tapping her fingernails on the glass, her suspicions had come up clean. "Bonnie, there's nothing here."

"I don't know what you could have seen, but it was probably just a figment of your imagina-" Elena turned around, hoping to comfort the stricken girl, but instead of being curled up on the floor or laughing at her own silliness, Bonnie was suddenly standing centimeters away, a solemn look on her face.

"Oh!" Elena pushed back against the counter, and breathed to regulate her heart rate once more. But she found the longer she stared at the figure, the quicker she realized there was something wrong with her.

She wasn't Bonnie. Her voice belonged to her, but the tone didn't.

"Hello, Elena. My name is Emily Bennett."

Caroline's fingertips traced the gold writing on the front of the large white box, bearing the dress store's insignia. As she admired the packaging for one last moment, she pulled it open, placed it aside and brushed away the light-as-air tissue paper. Beneath the folds and wraps was a pile of folded fabric, a brilliant emerald green. Her beautiful pageant dress.

Her fingers slipped over the folds and pulled out the dress, pressing it against her body. the fit should be perfect. The colour was perfect. The design was perfect. Everything was just the way she had imagined, complete with the perfect gentleman himself.

Damon was a God send. Up until now, she had been convinced that she would always live in Elena's shadow, despite that it wasn't Elena's intentions. But now, she felt confident that maybe, she could win. She could become Miss Mystic Falls and be crowned the best girl in the little town.

A doorbell interrupted her thoughts. She half-folded the dress onto the bed and quickly ran down the steps towards the front door.

"Oh, it's you." Caroline smiled, leaning against the open door to reveal a figure with jet black hair and a smile as white as snow.

Damon nodded, his trademark smile in place. "Can I come in?"

"Of course."

He seemed to be cautious as he stepped foot into the house, glancing around the area before placing his eyes back on her. She closed the door behind him, pressing her back against it. "Only a few hours until the pageant. Why did you decide to come?"

"I'm here to take away your doubts."


	12. Chapter 12

Elena's heart did the opposite of what she intended it to. It began to beat furiously, her fingers clutching the counter behind her to keep from fainting. Her eyes stayed frozen on the dark-skinned girl in front of her, hands folded in front of her with her eyes casted downwards. But Elena didn't dare move from her spot. Her breathing became easier but erratic as she creased her brow, eyes concentrating on her. "Bonnie?"

Her eyes flickered upwards intensely as the figure responded as if coming to life. She lifted her head with a calm smile, then nodded to acknowledge Elena's presence. "It's Emily, actually." She corrected with a quiet voice. A voice that didn't match Bonnie's. Dumbstruck, she stared at the figure before stuttering out her initial question. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Emily's gaze left Elena and focused on the mirror in front of her. Her lips began moving, but no audible sounds were escaping them. Until her words began to get louder. "Caroline's fate is decided." A shiver ran up Elena's spine. From her tone of voice, she knew her fate was not a happy one. "The Salvatores are cursed. Where they go, the danger goes." Elena nodded quickly to show that she understood, but she couldn't have been more confused in her life. Was Stefan as dangerous as Damon? What curse was she talking about?

A blood-curdling scream erupted from Bonnie's small frame as her hands reached up and gripped her temples. She fell to her knees, her back heaving with heavy pants. Elena's fingers trembling gently, she reached over to touch her shoulder. Bonnie flinched, her eyes wide and confused. "What.. Elena, what happened?" She stared at the girl in front of her, hair half pinned up with light touches of make up on her face. She furrowed her brow in wonder, glancing out the door towards her room. A blue silk garment laid there, still crumpled from when Elena hit the mattress. "Bonnie, I think.. I think I just spoke to Emily." Bonnie's fearful eyes reached her as she stood from the floor, her hands gripping her friend's arms. "She.. she _possessed_ me?"

Elena's nod was uncertain and shaky. "Bonnie, if we don't get Caroline away from Damon as soon as possible, she will die. If Emily did this just to prove that.. this is bigger than we thought."

"Take my doubts away?" Caroline's voice was doubtful itself. Damon turned to face her, his fingers skimming through his dark hair for a moment as he nodded. "Yes." She raised a brow, taking slow steps towards him before slipping her hands over his shoulders.

He smiled down at her, his fingers pushing aside her golden locks. His lips kissed along the faded outlines and bumps of the puncture wounds from his teeth. "I know you're nervous about the pageant, but I'm here to assure you there's no need."

Caroline giggled quietly at the feeling of his lips against her neck. His arms came around her as he nuzzled her neck gently, earning another laugh from the blonde. But his words began to falter as her smile fell, her actions less affectionate than usual. "I don't know anymore, Damon. Elena always seems to have every contest sewn up." Damon pulled away from her neck and looked down at her, ready to admit that she was right- Elena caught the heart of everybody she met. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous body, she was a shoo-in for the royal title.

But as Caroline stared up at him, her stone-green eyes that were usually slanted with mischief, were wide and vulnerable. He cocked his head slightly to the side, her gaze followed. Her fingers slid down his arms, fingering the material of his jacket. She continued before he could say anything. "I've always felt beneath her. I was always everybody's second choice." His eyes flickered away from her, finding it difficult to realize how much he knew what she was talking about. When had he been anybody's first choice?

"But you.." Her eyes flickered up to him again, this time brighter, showing flecks of gold and hazel embedded into the iris. "You made me feel wanted."

A muscle worked in Damon's jaw as he ran his fingers along her blonde hair, a crooked smile appearing on his lips. "Smile like that and there's no way you could lose."

Caroline's smile grew as she took his hand and led him into the living room, but he stopped in his tracks and pulled her to him. "I have a better idea." He murmured, pressing his lips to hers. He slid his hands along her hips as he slowly led her upstairs, then ghosted there within seconds. Caroline kissed back feverishly, collapsing onto the bed with him following close by.

She straddled over him, her fingers moving quickly to unbutton his shirt as Damon trailed kisses along her cheek, jawline, neck and collarbone. She groaned quietly at the feeling, her fingers slipping through his raven hair. His own hands moved against her hips, eager to rid her of the top that was obstructing him.

But his primal instincts won over his physical ones, and soon his eyes clouded with darkness and sharp incisors prodded at his gums, aching for release. He caught the skin of her neck with ease, and switched their positions so that she was underneath.

At first her body lay still, a wistful smile on her lips as her eyes fluttered closed. But her brow soon creased and her hands brushed against Damon's shoulders. "Damon, stop.." She grunted quietly, squirming in his grasp.

The pain that usually started out as no more than a pinch had escalated to the point of excruciating throbbing. It was like she could feel every movement of his teeth against her flesh, as sharp as knives themselves.

Her fingers clawed against his shoulders, but he gave no response that he heard or even noticed her pain.

But then his weight disappeared from her tiny frame, and the pain had decreased to a stinging sensation. Relieved at being released, she looked up at the man with an uncertain gaze. He stared down at her, and wiped the excess blood from his lips.

"It won't hurt again."

She nodded quietly, her fingers reaching up to skim the rough, shredded skin. She yelped in pain at the slightest pressure. Dropping her hands with a sigh, she shook her head. "Can't you just use blood bags? It's been getting worse everytime."

She frowned for a moment, her brow furrowing at the realization of her words. It felt as though a cloudy fog had covered up something she'd been trying to see. He had been biting her for days, drinking her blood. Each scar was more painful than the last. Her body shouted at her to move away from the man, and run away to Elena's for help immediately, but her mind refused. For some reason, it refused.

Damon sat down onto the bed and pulled the blonde into his lap delicately. "Don't worry your pretty little blonde head, Care." His fingers skimmed along the wound as well, but where Caroline's touch brought pain, Damon's brought a cool relief. "You just focus on putting Elena in her place."


End file.
